


Tempête Clafoutis

by ryukoishida



Series: You Are the Cream in my Coffee [3]
Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Minor Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka, Past Relationship(s), coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-07
Updated: 2014-07-07
Packaged: 2018-02-07 19:43:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1911408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryukoishida/pseuds/ryukoishida
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s on an especially blazing summer day when a red-haired man comes striding into the peaceful café and demanding to see Haruka.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tempête Clafoutis

**Author's Note:**

> Introducing Rin-rin the hot baker ex.

            “Where’s everyone?” Nagisa sighs, dramatically draping himself over one of the many vacated chairs in the café. Rei, who’s standing behind the coffee bar in the midst of wiping down one of the espresso machines, looks on with a disapproving frown.

 

            From the four months he’s been working in the shop, Nagisa finds that, with the exception of serving customers, the glasses-clad young man almost always dons a very serious expression. That’s not to say that it’s a bad look on him; it’s just that Nagisa would rather see the uptight man smiles and laughs more often, because when he does, there’s a soft, vulnerable light in his violet eyes that is so incredibly rare.

 

            Unfortunately for the blond, the source of Rei’s affliction seems to mostly stem from something Nagisa says or does.

 

            “Don’t you have things to bake?” Rei answers with a question of his own.

 

            “We’re already stocked up on today’s orders,” Nagisa informs him with a pout, his neck supported by the top of the chair’s back and looking at the barista upside-down from his spot. “If we make any more, they’ll just go to waste with the rate it’s been selling today. There are barely any dine-in patrons this afternoon. What’s up with that? Is our café suddenly cursed? It’s the weird lady dressed in black from yesterday, isn’t it? I knew she has a dark aura about her.”

 

            “Nagisa-kun, when did you learn to read people’s auras? Is that one of the strange skills you’ve picked up in one of your odd jobs?” Rei does not look impressed by Nagisa’s analysis. He himself is a man of science and mathematics because he believes numbers do not lie. But now that he thinks about it, the café is oddly deserted, especially for a Friday evening.

 

            “You don’t need to learn these things, Rei-chan,” the blond grins at him light-heartedly, “It’s all about natural instinct and it’s been ingrained in my body. You can even say I was born with this ability.”

 

            Rei rolls his eyes and is about to retort when Makoto walks out from the swinging doors at the back of the shop.

 

            “What are you two bickering about now? We can hear you all the way in the kitchen,” Makoto asks with a bemused smile.

 

            “Mako-chan! I think the café is cursed. How else could you explain this?” Nagisa throws his arms out, presenting him the scene of the eerily empty shop except for the quiet whirring from the air-conditioning and the soft jazz streaming from the speakers.

 

            “And I was just about to tell Nagisa-kun how absurd his theory is,” Rei huffs, coming around the counter seeing as there is nothing more he can clean in the mean time. The equipment and countertop are spotless and sparkling from Rei’s unrelenting polishing for the last two hours.

 

            “I think I might know why,” Makoto retrieves a folded flyer from his pocket and lays it on the table for the other two to see. In blinding neon colours stamped the exclamation, “Summer Solstice Festival 2014! Come celebrate the start of summer at Iwatobi Harbour!”

 

            “A summer solstice festival, huh?” Rei taps a thoughtful finger against his chin. “Seems interesting. Did the town always have that? I don’t remember going to anything like that in the past.”

 

            “They just started it this year to attract more tourists, probably,” Makoto replies. “I was thinking of going later after work.”

 

            “Why don’t we all go check it out together?” In his excitement, Nagisa jumps out of his chair and almost falls on his face if it isn’t for Rei’s quick reflexes as he swiftly catches the blond’s arm just before he hits the ground. Nagisa sends him a grateful smile and then turns towards the shop’s owner; Makoto can’t describe the youngster’s begging eyes as anything else but puppy-like.

 

            “Well, it’s not like we’re going to get more customers for the rest of the day,” Makoto is saying, and a joyous grin breaks out on Nagisa’s lips, his cerise eyes brightening at the prospect. “Why don’t we close early and see what the hype’s all about?”

 

            “Mako-chan, you are the absolute best boss! Have I ever told you that?” Makoto can only chuckle when Nagisa gives the brunet a tight, quick hug before skipping to the kitchen to notify the pastry chef of the news.

 

            “Are you sure it’ll be all right, Makoto-san?” Rei furrows his brows a little in concern.

 

            “I’ll just write up a notice and post it at the front door,” Makoto grabs some stationary from behind the counter and begin to write. “Anyway, you three have been working so hard lately; you all deserve a little break.”

 

            Rei has never been so thankful for having the luck of working with such a considerate, kind-hearted man; most of the time, he swears Makoto acts more like their protective elder brother than their manager, and that’s one of the many reasons why Rei is still content to work here.

 

            Just as the barista is about to count up the day’s transactions at the till, which shouldn’t take too long considering the slow-going business today, the sharp peel of wind chime signals the entrance of a patron.

 

            Makoto immediately greets the man with a warm smile, “Welcome to Iwatobi Café. For how many people, sir?”

 

            Instead of answering, the man wordlessly scrutinizes the interior of the café, a combination of curiosity and cautiousness lends a perilous light to his fierce, crimson eyes. Though marginally slighter than Makoto in height, he makes up for it with the wiry muscles as emphasized by the loose black tank-top and skinny jeans the man is wearing.

 

            After a short moment, when it doesn’t seem like he will give a reply, Makoto tries again. “May I help you with anything, sir?”

 

            “Haruka Nanase.” The name is spoken so softly that at first, Makoto thinks he may have misheard.

 

            “Pardon?”

 

            “I need to see Haruka Nanase.” This time, the request is more firm, his words clearer and undertone more menacing. “Where is he?”

 

            “May I ask what business you have with my employee?” Makoto’s friendly demeanour is dissipating gradually as he senses the red-haired man’s increasing hostility in his body language.

 

            “What business I have with him is none of your concern,” he drawls, long strands of burgundy locks falling into his eyes as he casts his head a degree lower. He blows them off his face with a self-assured sneer on his sharp-featured face.

 

            “I will make it my concern if – ”

 

            “Mako-chan, will you please convince Haru-chan to come with us? He’s being an island again,” Nagisa hasn’t noticed the presence of the agitated stranger quite yet. Not before the aforementioned island steps out of the kitchen after the blond with an irritated scowl.

 

            “Makoto, will you please tell Nagisa to leave me alone?”

 

            “Haru, so this is where you’ve been hiding.”

 

            Haruka freezes at the voice. For a few tense seconds, no one dares to speak.

 

            The dark-haired man finally turns around to face the owner of that provoking statement, and though the changes are subtle, Makoto watches as the pastry chef’s expression turns from indifference to confusion, then his eyes widen in recognition, his whole frame shaking as if he doesn’t know whether to shy away from the other man or go towards him – as if he’s having an internal argument with himself.

 

             “Rin? What are you doing here?” He ends up asking in a soft voice.

 

            “You took the question right out of my mouth, jerk,” Rin’s strides are wide and assertive as he stalks towards Haruka, and before the other three can move a muscle, he has wrapped Haruka into his arms and placed a kiss on the startled man’s cheeks.

 

            “Rin, what the hell?” Haruka scoots back until there’s a safe amount of space between them, his skin excruciatingly warm and eyes casting downward in embarrassment.

 

            “I’m sorry, Haru, I’ve just missed you so much,” Rin gives him a teasing grin.

 

            “You didn’t have to go around attacking people with your mouth,” Haruka mutters, sending Rin a half-hearted glare. “Not everyone’s used to French etiquette.”

 

            “I see you’re still uncomfortable with the French custom, even after two years of living there,” the red-haired man shakes his head but he still holds a fond smile.

 

            “Sorry to interrupt your reunion,” Makoto pipes up gingerly, “But I think I can speak for the three of us when I ask: what’s going on?” Rei and Nagisa nod in comedic synchronization.

 

            “How rude of me,” Rin reels around to face the taller man, his expression significantly more cordial than before. “Apologies for being a bit, uh, presumptuous back there. I’m Rin Matsuoka. Pleasure to meet you.” He offers his hand and Makoto doesn’t hesitate to take it – a firm, steady handshake is shared between them, but where Rin’s countenance is almost overtly accepting, Makoto’s is more wary, which the three employees note to be very unusual for the generally mild-mannered man.

 

             “Makoto Tachibana. The pleasure’s all mine.” His calm tone of voice, however, betrays nothing out of the ordinary.

 

“So, you and Haru-chan…” Nagisa is never known to be discreet and when it comes to situations like this, one can always count on the oblivious blond to ask the most inappropriate and awkward question possible. “Are you guys like… you know?”

 

            “Nagisa-kun!” Rei covers the blond man’s mouth and if there have been any more questions, none of them will have the misfortune to hear as only muffled sounds escape from between Rei’s fingers.

 

Haruka raises a sardonic brow but Rin just chortles with amused laughter.

 

“We became close friends in France when we were both learning under the same chef pâtissier,” Rin clarifies.

 

            “Actually, I’d say we were more like rivals,” Haruka feels the need to correct the statement.

 

            “There’s nothing wrong with being both,” Rin throws a casual arm around Haruka’s shoulders, and despite looking a bit unwilling, the dark-haired man doesn’t comment on the gesture. “And we did do the dating thing for a bit, didn’t we?”

 

            “Briefly – very briefly. Three months,” Haruka pointedly ignores the stunned gawks and stares from his co-workers.

 

            “And how glorious those three months had been. Wouldn’t you agree, Haru?” Rin sighs and is about to lean in to plant another kiss on the unsuspecting man, but this time Haruka is ready and is able to shove him away; Rin only laughs harder, the sound boisterous and making his entire body shake.

 

            “It was great while it lasted,” Haruka is willing to admit this much at least.

 

The two young men – both around nineteen at the time – hailed from Japan and encountered each other, alone in a strange country and could barely communicate in the local language, found themselves studying under the same instructor in a Parisian patisserie. Life as apprentices in the world-famous city renowned for delicate sweets and pastries was not easy; they knew that right from the beginning, but they never let the instructor’s harsh scolding or days that had been especially draining deter them.

 

            When Haruka and Rin first met each other, there was a competitive spark between the two almost instantly. This had delighted the instructor, because it meant that both of her students had enough drive and passion to strive for their best. The two young men had definitely started off with the wrong foot – or rather, they started off stepping on each other’s foot and like children, refused to apologize.

 

            Haruka was a natural; there was no other way to put it. Everything the chef pâtissier taught them, he only needed to observe the steps once, and he could replicate the sequences perfectly. On the other hand, Rin had a harder time – always had to try harder, spend longer periods of time near the ovens’ heat to practice, and the resulting products weren’t always good, either. Rin could admit this much: there had been times when he was jealous of the dark-haired man’s talent, yet what had frustrated him the most was the fact that Haruka didn’t seem to acknowledge nor care about the brilliant aptitude he encompasses.

 

            One winter night, when the rain had turned the ashen, trodden snow in the back alley into dirty puddles and slush, Haruka found his fellow apprentice sitting on the doorstep at the rear of the bakery; his back was towards him, and he was shivering. At first, Haruka just thought he was cold and was about to tell him to get inside before he caught a cold for good, but then he heard sobbing.

 

            He never imagined Rin to be the type who’d cry easily, so something serious must have happened. Silently, Haruka took a seat beside the red-haired man, his arms hugging his knees as he rested his chin on top, waiting, or perhaps just keeping him company; Haruka wasn’t sure what his intention was anymore.

 

            The few orange streetlights casted splashes of colours on the wet, concrete as Rin’s crying slowly dissolved into sniffles, and he raised his head, gaze forward and refusing to look at the quiet man adjacent to him.

 

            “Want to talk about it?” The question was asked in an unobtrusive manner and uncharacteristically gentle, giving Rin the option to not answer if he didn’t want to.

 

            “I should leave and go back to Japan,” he started uncertainly. Haruka didn’t say anything, waiting for the other man to continue. “Celeste talked to me just now, and she said – she said maybe I’m not cut out to be a pastry chef.”

 

            “What makes her say that?”

 

            “Look at me, Haru!” Rin turns to him ferociously, tear stains still evident on his rosy cheeks and his eyes are fiery with angry tears. “It’s been six months, and I still can’t make the most basic creams. I can’t even get the _biscuits cuillère right_ _once_ _and I’_ _ve been practicing for a week. I’m wasting my time here, so maybe I should just…” He trailed off, mouth refusing to say what his mind was thinking because it went against everything his heart wanted._

 

            “So you’re telling me you’re giving up now?”

 

            “Don’t be so fucking self-righteous, Haru,” Rin growled, eyes flashing and his fists clenching so hard his knuckles were turning bone-white. “You’re the last person who has the right to give me a lecture.”

 

            “And why’s that?” Haruka is not backing down, his voice rising just a degree louder.

 

            “You – you condescending bastard,” Rin shuddered a breath, warm steam trailing out of his freezing lips, and grabbed Haruka by the collar of his uniform, pulling him close so that there were only a few centimetres between their faces. Half-transparent vapour merged before their eyes and rose up above their heads and into the chilled night air. “You’d never understand how I feel. It’s like everything about pastry-making comes as easy as breathing for you; you don’t ever need to stay behind to practice, or get yelled at by Celeste, or get looked down upon by the other staff. Everyone in the patisserie said that you’ll have a bright future ahead of you. So what the hell would you know? Haruka Nanase…” The fingers on his clothes loosened but instead of letting him go, he placed a shivering hand on Haruka’s shoulder. “I will never be able to surpass you.”

 

            Haruka blinks, surprised. “But why do you feel the need to do so? It’s not a contest, you know. Sure, the competition here is ridiculous, especially considering the fact that we’re in the heart of the city where there are so many talents in this industry, but you already knew that and you still decided to do this. Why?”

 

            “Because I want to follow my father’s footsteps,” Rin whispered; he never told anyone about this before. It just came out; somehow, his flaring anger and Haruka’s words had coaxed it out of him and in that moment, his heart felt a tiny bit lighter.

 

            “Rin, I don’t know what your father’s like,” Haruka treaded carefully, his tone calm as the reflection of a lake on a summer’s day, “and I don’t know your reason for insisting on doing what your father did. But I do know this: you’ve worked harder than anyone else in the patisserie, and you are capable of creating your own career path out of this.”

 

            “How can you be so sure?” Rin stared down at his lap, crimson eyes dulled with loss and confusion as he bit his lower lip in trepidation.

 

            Haruka firmly lifted Rin’s chin until the other man would look at him properly. They were sitting so close to each other at this point that when Haruka said his next words, every warm breath fanned across Rin’s cold skin. “I believe in you. I believe in your passion, your determination.” His voice was low but definite, as if nothing would be strong enough to prove his conviction wrong.

 

            “Haru, I…” He couldn’t find anything to say, except that when he saw the blue flames in Haruka’s eyes, Rin wanted to believe what the other man believed, too. And so there was only one thing left for him to do.

 

            That was the first kiss they shared – all chaste and quiet and consoling, fingers softly brushing hair back as they deepened the kiss.

 

            “It didn’t work out in the end, but we’re better off as we are now anyway,” Haruka continues, shrugging.

 

            “I guess you’re right,” Rin squeezes Haruka’s shoulder, a kind smile softening the hard edges of his angular features.

 

            “Rin-chan,” Nagisa speaks up, and Rin looks a little startled at being referred to with such a friendly nickname even though this is only the first time they meet.

 

            Rei notices and reassures him, “Don’t worry, Rin-san. That’s just a thing that Nagisa-kun does. He doesn’t know the definition of propriety if it hits him in the face.”

 

            “Hey, that’s not fair!” The blond sends a petulant pout in Rei’s way before facing Rin once more. “Anyway, I was just going to say before Rei-chan so rudely interrupted us: Rin-chan, would you like to come to the solstice festival with us? We’re about ready to head over there ourselves.”

 

            “Is that all right with you guys?” Rin seems a bit taken-aback but glad nonetheless; he tilts his head in Haruka’s direction, silently asking for his permission. Rin’s the one who comes barrelling in here in the first place after all, but it’d be lovely to be able to spend some time catching up and discussing an important matter with him.

 

            “If it’s okay with Makoto,” Haruka looks to the man in question, and everyone’s attention suddenly shifts to the café owner.

 

            “Of course you’re welcome to join us if you like, Rin-san,” Makoto gives him a tight smile. The only one who seems to notice the unnatural expression on the brunet is Haruka, but it’s not his place to question, nor is it the right time.

 

            “Great! Let’s close this place down and go!”

 

-

 

            Rin and Haruka have excused themselves from the group awhile back as Rin tells his friend that there’s something he needs to discuss with him privately. As the two wander off into the waves of tourists and locals, Makoto stares after them until the crowd swallows their figures.

 

            “Mako-chan. Mako-chan!” The brunet jumps, and notices that the two younger employees are looking at him strangely. “Are you okay? You seem really out of it just now.”

 

            “I-I’m fine, Nagisa,” Makoto quickly replies and keeps walking, and the other two have no choice but to follow lest they lost track of each other. Somewhere at the back of his mind, despite the distraction of music, laughter, and delicious food stalls, a thought keeps trying to drill a hole and settle there: what are Rin and Haruka discussing about? He knows he has no right to poke his nose into someone else’s business, but lately, when it comes to Haruka, Makoto finds himself more often than not easily losing the ability to reason, and it’s reaching to a point that the others have begun to notice Makoto’s strange behaviour around the café’s pastry chef.

 

            If this continues, Makoto is certain that sooner or later, Haruka – as oblivious as he can sometimes be – will find out, and he’s not sure if he’d be able to handle the man’s reaction, whether it is one of acceptance or rejection. As Rei and Nagisa frantically waves him over to one of the stalls where they have found something entertaining, Makoto decides that there’s no point in troubling himself over this right now.

 

            “So what’s this important issue that you need to talk to me about?” Haruka asks, narrowly avoiding a little girl running past him with a turf of cotton candy in one hand as her parents hurry after her, apologizing to the pedestrians on the way.

 

            “I was wondering,” Rin whirls around to face him now that they’re strolling along the part of the harbour where there are less people, “if you’d consider getting back together.”

 

            “What?” Haruka stops abruptly and the middle-aged woman walking closely behind him mutters a curse as she goes around and past the two men.

 

            “I’m just messing with you!” Rin breaks out into a rowdy laugh, slapping his arm playfully, “But man, you should have seen your face!”

 

            “That was not funny, Rin,” Haruka scoffs, but he visibly relaxes as they begin to walk again. Evening is advancing as the sky transforms from deep violet to a rich Prussian blue, and the dots of lights on fishing boats, like stars hovering above the sea, blink into existence.

 

            “It was kind of funny. Okay, fine, I’m sorry. But back to business,” Rin keeps his gaze forward, their footsteps matching each other’s. “What I was actually going to ask is if you’d be interested in working in a new patisserie with me as partners.”

 

            “A new patisserie?”

 

            Rin nods, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Celeste is invited by one of the boutique hotel chains in Tokyo to open up a patisserie specializing in French pastries and she’s asked me to be in charge of it. I thought since you’ve returned to Japan, I might ask you to join our team. We could really use a talent like you.”

 

            “I honestly don’t know what to say,” Haruka stops again and seeing a bench at the side of the walkway, motions for Rin to sit with him. There are many things he’s expecting Rin to say to him, but this comes somewhat as a surprise.

 

            “You don’t have to give me a reply right away,” Rin’s large hand covers Haruka’s slender one and gives a slight squeeze.

 

            “Thank you for the offer, Rin, truly,” Haruka smiles kindly at him, “but I’m really enjoying my work here.” He pats the top of Rin’s hand before retrieving them back to his lap.

 

            “At Iwatobi Café?”

 

            Haruka nods.

 

            “I have to admit, that place does have a certain charm and their coffees are excellent – ”

 

            “How did you know?”

 

            “My sister’s gotten me some of your take-out menu items to try,” Rin only replies. “No doubt, Iwatobi Café is a good coffee shop, but Haru, you won’t have a future here. With a gift like yours, it’d be a waste if you keep yourself locked up in this small town.”

 

            Haruka stiffens, his lips tighten into a straight line. “Rin, I appreciate that you’d think highly of me enough to ask me to join your new shop, but I have my own plans, too, and it involves working here at Iwatobi Café.”

 

            “It’s your co-workers,” Rin knows how Haruka thinks – always had; he knows the man to be a sentimental person, though his cold façade may have deceived people who don’t know him well.

 

            “My friends, and yes they’re part of the reason.”

 

            “And Makoto Tachibana?”

 

            “What about Makoto?” Haruka bites out sharply, his eyes flashing a dangerous shade of electric blue.

 

With that reaction, Rin is almost sure why Haruka is reluctant to leave his current job. He merely sends him a knowing smirk, "Why don't you tell me?"

 

"There is nothing to tell," Haruka mumbles. "He's a responsible owner and a generous man who takes good care of his employees."

 

"Yes, I can tell," Rin chuckles, looking away into the distance. "You should have seen his reaction when I came barging in this afternoon demanding to see you. The look he gave me reminds me of an orca ready to strike to protect the ones they love."  
  
            For a few seconds, Haruka doesn't make a comment, his thought zooming in onto the last word of that sentence. "He does have that protective streak within him, though it may give him grief one of these days."  
  
            Rin steals a side glance at the dark-haired man and is surprised to see a gentle light in his eyes, a shadow of a smile lingers in the corner of his lips.

 

“It can only end badly if we work together,” Haruka tries not to grin but just the mere idea is enough to amuse him; strangely, Rin can see what he meant though. From their apprentice days, they understand that they each have a very different philosophy and work ethics; like their relationship, there’s only one way to go.   
  
            Rin's gotten the reply and he knows there's not much he can do to change Haruka's decision. Very much similar to himself in this aspect, once Haruka's mind is set, no one can force him to do anything he doesn't want to.  
  
            They are both inexplicably tenacious, and perhaps that was why the relationship didn't work out in the end; they just can't seem to find that healthy, balance point. All they did was argue and though the make-up sex afterwards was always fantastic, they knew it wouldn't last and they wanted to stop this venomous arrangement before one of them got hurt.  
  
            They do care about each other; they just have their own quirky ways to show that affection.  
  
            "Let's go back and find the others," Rin suggests, groaning as he gets up from the bench. Haruka wordlessly follows him, and for the remaining of the way, the two friends share a companionable silence.  
  
-  
  
            "Makoto-san, can I ask you something?"

 

            The two men are walking a little away behind the rest of the group, since Nagisa is pulling Haruka towards one of the food stalls and claiming that they are making pan-fried mackerel, which happens to be the pastry chef's favourite food. Haruka doesn't need to be told twice before he runs towards said stall, with Nagisa laughing and Rei trailing behind in case one of them – most likely Nagisa in this case – stirs up trouble.  
  
            "What is it?" A hint of curiosity slips past.  
  
            "What do you think of Haru?" Rin keeps his tone casual.  
  
            "What kind of question is that?" Makoto raises his eyebrows in puzzlement but it's nevertheless very easy to answer. "He's an absolute artist when it comes to pastries and sure, he's got some weird habits when he works, but that's part of who he is. He's a very valuable asset to our coffee shop; he's the spirit of it."  
  
            "I mean outside of work."  
  
            That context is a little more complicated, since he rarely sees the man outside of work. At times, he does feel like he knows a lot about Haruka; how could he not when they spend more than one-third of their day working together? Yet Makoto understands that's not really the case at all.  
  
            "I don't know Haru as well as I should," Makoto admits, his smile a little rueful. "But I do know that he's a good man; he may seem cold to other people but he does care. He just doesn't like to show it, for whatever reason."  
  
            "I asked Haru to join a new patisserie with me,” Rin isn’t sure why he’s telling the near-stranger but he feels like it’s the right thing to do.

 

            Makoto flexes his fingers unconsciously, itching to tighten them into fists, and then what? Hit Rin Matsuoka in the face? Punch the nearest wall? After a few steps, during the width of which neither of them speak, he blows out a slow, steady breath, green eyes slipping close for a moment before opening them again, his gaze resignedly resolute. “He’s too good for this place, I can see that.”

 

            “Believe it or not, that’s precisely what I said to him, too,” Rin shakes his head, the action accompanied by a quiet laugh.

 

            “I will respect whatever decision he’s made,” Makoto isn’t looking at him.

 

            “His choice has been very clear right from the beginning, I think,” Rin tells him kindly and he pats the man’s shoulder, only leaving him with a seemingly off-handed comment, “Try not to fuck this up, Makoto Tachibana, or you’ll have to answer to me.”

 

Before Makoto even has time to process what Rin has said as the red-haired man disappears into the crowd, Haruka comes up to him, a Styrofoam plate filled with pieces of lightly charred mackerel in his hand.

 

            “Makoto, what’s wrong?” Haruka’s small frown indicates his concern.

 

            “Oh, it’s nothing. Where are Rei and Nagisa?”

 

            “Nagisa’s found some sort of beanbag toss game and Rei’s keeping him out of trouble,” Haruka replies, but he’s still looking at Makoto closely. “Are you sure you’re okay? You were talking to Rin, weren’t you? Did he say something to you?”

 

            “He did say some, uh, thought-provoking things.” Makoto begins to walk in search of the other two men, except Haruka has a hold on him, warm fingers wrapped gently around the brunet’s wrist.

 

            “Haru?” Makoto looks down at the point of contact, heat that has nothing to do with the temperature beginning to spread from his face all the way down to his neck. The dark-haired man swiftly retrieves his hand but his earnest look remains on Makoto nonetheless.

 

            “You’ll let me know if anything’s bothering you, right?” Haruka’s eyes flicker downwards when Makoto tries to meet his gaze.

 

            “Y-yeah. Of course!” Makoto gives him a smile, one that is so honest and vibrant and warm that it causes Haruka’s heart to clench painfully against his chest. He marches ahead of the taller man to hide his blush and Makoto scrambles to follow, but not before adding, “I’m really glad that you’re here, Haru.”

 

            It’s sort of a vague statement, one that can be interpreted in several ways, but at this point, it doesn’t really matter, because Haruka turns to Makoto as they walk side-by-side and says with the hint of a timid smile, “Me, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I really enjoyed writing Rin in this AU. He might come back in a later chapter, maybe. Actually I want to write a Rin/Haru drabble during their apprenticeship days now.


End file.
